MLB roundup: Santana throws Mets' first no-hitter

Associated Press :
June 1, 2012
: Updated: June 2, 2012 12:27am

New York Mets catcher Josh Thole, left, runs to hug starting pitcher Johan Santana who threw a no-hitter against the St. Louis Cardinals in a baseball game on Friday, June 1, 2012, at Citi Field in New York.

After a string of close calls in their 51-season history, Santana finally finished the job in the Mets' 8,020th game.

“Finally, the first one,” Santana said. “That is the greatest feeling ever.”

He needed a couple of key assists to pull off the majors' third no-hitter this season.

Carlos Beltran, back at Citi Field for the first time since the Mets traded him last July, hit a line drive over third base in the sixth inning that hit the foul line and should have been called fair. But third base umpire Adrian Johnson ruled it foul even though a replay clearly showed a mark where the ball landed on the chalk line.

Mike Baxter then made a tremendous catch in left field to rob Yadier Molina of extra bases in the seventh. Baxter crashed into the wall, injured his shoulder and left the game.

Making his 11th start since missing last season following shoulder surgery, Santana (3-2) threw a career-high 134 pitches in his second consecutive shutout. He struck out eight and walked five.

“Coming into this season, I was just hoping to come back and stay healthy and help this team, and now I am in this situation in the greatest city for baseball,” Santana said.

Santana got a warm ovation as he headed out to the mound for the ninth, and the two-time Cy Young Award winner quickly retired Matt Holliday and Allen Craig on shallow fly balls. World Series MVP David Freese went to a 3-2 count before his foul tip was caught by Josh Thole.

The Mets rushed out of the dugout and mobbed Santana in a dogpile as security tackled a fan who ran onto the field near home plate. Moments later, the pitcher raised his right arm and saluted the crowd.

Reds 4, Astros 1: Jay Bruce homered and drove in two runs to back a solid performance by Mike Leake, and visiting Cincinnati beat the sliding Astros.

Leake had a season-high seven strikeouts in seven innings, yielding one run and four hits.Houston dropped its seventh straight, as J.A. Happ allowed three runs and five hits in seven innings.

J.R. Richard, who went 107-71 in a 10-year career with the Astros, threw out the ceremonial first pitch and was inducted into the Astros Walk of Fame before the game.

Yankees 9, Tigers 4: Curtis Granderson hit a grand slam against his former team in the second inning, and CC Sabathia made the lead hold up after a shaky start to help New York defeat host Detroit. Alex Rodriguez added a two-run homer in the ninth for New York.

The score was tied 1-1 when Granderson cleared the bases with a drive just inside the pole in right field off left-hander Casey Crosby, who was making his major league debut.

Sabathia (7-2) allowed three runs and eight hits in seven innings for the Yankees.

Red Sox 7, Blue Jays 2: In Toronto, David Ortiz homered, Clay Buchholz won his sixth straight start in Toronto, and Boston won for the fourth time in five games. Daniel Nava had three doubles, and Adrian Gonzalez had three hits for the Red Sox, who have not lost consecutive games since May 8 and 9 at Kansas City.

Rays 5, Orioles 0: In St. Petersburg, Fla., David Price scattered four hits over 71/3 innings, and Hideki Matsui homered for Tampa Bay. Price (7-3), who struck out five and walked two, retired his first 13 batters.

Pirates 8, Brewers 2: In Milwaukee, Pittsburgh scored six runs off Randy Wolf in the third inning. Milwaukee's Ryan Braun left the game with a right hip strain after sitting out Thursday with a lingering Achilles tendon injury.

White Sox 7, Mariners 4: In Chicago, Alexei Ramirez drove in the go-ahead run with a two-out infield single in the eighth, and the White Sox won for the ninth straight time.